Animal-trap



(No Model.)

. v A. W. PAULL.

ANIMAL TRAR Patented June 5, 1883.

wcux wu Mp5 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIoE.

AROHIBALD w. PAULL, or wnnn'nnvo, wnsr VIRGINIA.

ANIMAL-TRAP.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 278,730, dated June 5,1883.

7 Application filed December 1, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ARCHIBALD W. PAULL, of Wheeling, in the county ofOhio and State of Vest Virginia, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Animal-Traps; and I do hereby declare the following to.be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, inwhich Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved mouse-trap. Fig. 2 isafront view. Figs. 3 and 4. are similar views of a slightly-modifiedform. Fig. 5 is a view of the spring when removed from the box.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts in each.

The purpose of my invention is to secure a simple inexpensive mouse-trapof the spring dead-fall order, in which the use of any device forholding the spring when the trap is set is avoided, and thereby the costpf construction is reduced and the durability and efficiency of the trapis increased.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I willnow describe its construction and mode of operation.

In a suitable box or case, (1, having a bot tom, a, a closed rear end,(1?, and open front, a, I pivot a suitable spring yoke or dead-fall, b,the power of the spring being exerted to throw the yoke down over thefront opening, a, upon the stops or the projecting floor at The ends ofthe spring-wire which throws the yoke I) pass through suitable holes,I), in the sides of the case a, and are crossed, as at b, and passedthrough holes in the opposite sides of the case, as at b", at a pointdiagonally above the point I). The purpose of this arrangement is togive the yoke a double spring ac tion, so that when it is forward of thepoint b it will be caused to act downward against the stops a, and whenit is thrown backward past the point I) it will be caused to act in theopposite direction, and if free to move would assume the verticalposition shown in broken lines in Fig. 1. This double spring action ofthe yoke is caused by the tendency of its crossed ends to assume theirnormal position, as shown in Fig. 5, which tendency results in atorsional force exerted on the yoke in either direction from the pointIf.

On the top of the case a is a stop, 0, placed slightly back of a planebisecting the points I) and b so that when the yoke b is in con tacttherewith it shall be over the center of 5 motion and tend to pressbackward against the stop. The stop is placed so near the center linethat but a slight pressure is required to draw the yoke over it, so thatthe. downward or forward spring action may be exerted 6 upon it. Thepurpose of this construction is to enable me to set the trap by simplythrowing the yoke up against the stop a, as shown in Fig. 1, whichposition it will retain until it is drawn forward past the center line,when it will immediately act downward and be thrown against the stops a.The bait-hook e is secured rigidly to and projects upward from the frontside of one of the crossed wires. The slight leverage which is exertedby the animal in removing the bait is sufficient to draw the yoke I)over the center line, when it will immediately act downward and catchthe animal. p In the modification shown in Figs. 3 and 4 the bait-hookis secured to a cross-bar, e, the ends of which extend through slots 6-,made in the sides of the case a, and rest against the rear side of theyoke b, so as to draw upon the same when the bait is being removed bythe animal.

I have described my invention with relation to mouse-traps; but I do notlimit myself thereto, as by increasing the size and strength of theparts it may be adapted to be used as an animal-trap generally. N or doI limit myself to the use of a bait-hook, as the yoke may be thrown overthe center by the use of a bait-table placed in the floor of the trapand connected by suitable levers or links, so as to operate to throw theyoke over the center.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. An animal-trap provided with a double spring pivoted dead-fall,substantially as and for the purposes described.

2. An animal-trap provided with a double spring pivoted dead-fall, and astop placed N,

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 25th day ofNovember, A. D. 1882.

slightly back of the center of the spring action of the same,substantially as and for the purposes described.

3. An animaltrap provided with a double 5 spring pivoted dead fall, aset-stop placed AROHIBALD PAULL' back of the center of spring action,and abait- YVitnesses holder connected to the dead-fall, substan- -A. C.H001) tially as and for the purposes described. T. V. SHREVE.

